"One of the greatest things in human life is the ability to make plans. Even if they never come true - the joy of anticipation is irrevocably yours. That way one can live many more than just one life."

Maria Trapp-The Story of the Trapp Family Singers - Ch. 12 p. 4

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

- St. Augustine

Saturday, February 26, 2011

One of the interesting things about accommodations in Ireland is that nearly every kind overnight establishment provides breakfast. Ireland is covered in B&B's, inns, townhouse hotels, pubs with rooms above and working farms that provide rooms, all of which advertise "bed and breakfast." Even most hotels make a note of their "Full Irish Breakfast Provided." It's so common that any place that doesn't provide breakfast seems to need a disclaimer on their website informing you of such negligence on their part.

What, you may ask, exactly is a "Full Irish Breakfast?" At least, that's what I wanted to know. As it turns out, unlike American B&B's, who each seem to want to sell you their own cookbook outlining thow amazing you should think their unique breakfasts are, most Irish B&B's all serve variations on the same simple breakfast:

You know what that is? That's a plate full of everything I hate. Black sausage (yes, that means BLOOD sausage! *gag*), white sausage (oh, that's SO much better - it's only made of lard), tomatoes, rashers (apparently similar to Canadian bacon), fried eggs and fried bread. Oh, and you can get porridge on the side. I guess I'll be eating a lot of tomatoes and eggs. The one B&B that offered a buffet of Irish cheeses and Irish Oatmeal as an alternative to the traditional breakfast is starting to sound like a veritable Cordon Bleu experience! And I thought we'd be enjoying such nice, large breakfasts that there would be no need for lunch and we would only need to buy dinners.

Maybe not.

Well, nothing could be worse than eating Marsala glop everyday in India and I survived that. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised? Either way, I expect to eat enough delicious fish & chips and Guinness stew to make up for three kinds of sausage at breakfast. :) It's just too bad the French didn't invade Ireland instead of the English.